Review
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"Mr. Gazzaniga does a better job of tackling the problem [of how neural activity gives rise to consciousness] than
innumerable philosophers and neuroscientists before him . . . [He] displays a rare ability to combine breadth and depth
of scientific learning with good, grounded philosophical judgment. As a result, The Consciousness Instinct could be the
clearest and most compelling attempt to demystify the mind yet written." ―Julian Baggini, The Wall Street Journal
"[Gazzaniga is] one of the greatest neuroscientists living today . . . [The Consciousness Instinct] is a window into the
mind of one of the greats. It is a rare rtunity to watch a scientific champion grapple with perhaps our most
formidable mystery." ―Eliezer J. Sternberg, The Washington Post
"Gazzaniga is a bold scientist . . . He guides readers through neurology, biology and psychology, discussing the origin
and neural underpinnings of language or the mechanism of facial re . . . Engaging." ―Douwe Draaisma, Nature
"Unquestionably one of the top experts in his field . . . This is a book for readers of all ages who are intrigued by
consciousness and how it works. As he has done in previous books, Gazzaniga easily draws readers into one of the most
fascinating conversations taking place in modern science." ―Kirkus (starred review)
"[Michael S. Gazzaniga] adopts a philosophical approach in this inful book . . . He also refreshingly grounds the
work in real experimental data, revealing himself to be an intelligent mental explorer and master syncretist.
Gazzaniga’s accessible, well-organized arguments are bound to provoke deep metathoughts, and readers should find his
treatise delightful." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Can the part of us that knows things actually know itself? 'What is consciousness?' can be a dizzying question, but
Michael Gazzaniga offers an answer that’s exciting and stimulating. One of the great pleasures of this book is watching
Gazzaniga's own brain at work. His writing takes us to unexpected places. If there’s such a thing as a stream of
consciousness, he takes us to the headwaters." ―Alan Alda
"An invigorating and mind-expanding narrative on the science and philosophy of consciousness. With good-natured humor,
clear and unpretentious prose, and an eye for deep ideas and fascinating phenomena (many of them discovered in his own
research), Michael S. Gazzaniga enlightens us about some of the deepest questions the mind is capable of asking."
―Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of How the Mind Works and The Stuff of
Thought
"The Consciousness Instinct is a fun and informative read about a topic that is often written about in ways that are
either boring or incomprehensible. Gazzaniga was one of the first scientists in modern times to dare talk about
consciousness. He's been at it for five decades, and keeps coming up with new and interesting ideas. Your consciousness
will be raised." ―Joseph E. LeDoux, Henry and Lucy Moses Professor of Science at New York University and Director of the
Emotional Brain Institute
"Like the magician pulling a white rabbit out of a black top hat, Michael Gazzaniga pulls sheer consciousness out of the
jungle of 87 billion neurons in the brain. In his quest to understand consciousness, that great mystery of the
mind/brain, he offers refreshingly novel and provocative ideas, which he shares with the reader in his own inimitable
and engaging style." ―Endel Tulving, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto
"Following in the pioneering footsteps of ert Simon’s Architecture of Complexity and Marvin Minsky’s Society of
Mind, Michael S. Gazzaniga brings us a democracy of consciousness. This part-historical, part-autobiographical telling
of ingenious experiments reveals the uncanny plurality of self-awareness. Inspired by the Darwinian in that
populations of organisms struggle to assert their supremacy over of the worlds in which they live, Gazzaniga describes
how single neurons and neural networks compete to signal their understanding of the cognitive micro-worlds in which they
function, and how every module is a voice that in combination produces that enigmatic chorus we describe as
consciousness." ―David Krakauer, President and William H. Miller Professor of Complex Systems, Santa Fe Institute
"Understanding the mind-brain relationship has intrigued humans for millennia, but progress has fallen short of the
mark, particularly regarding consciousness. The genius of The Consciousness Instinct is that it brings to the mind-brain
discussion new perspectives ranging from evolutionary biology (i.e. how life emerged in a lifeless world) and
engineering to the mental gymnastics necessary to understand quantum mechanics, all leavened by advances being made in
the brain and cognitive sciences. It is a clarion call for a much broader view of the road ahead. For me, reading a book
more than once is a rare occurrence, but this book was the exception and I felt amply rewarded for doing so." ―Marcus E.
Raichle, M.D., Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor in Medicine, Washington University
"We should all be grateful that Michael Gazzaniga has not quit his effort to get us to think about hard problems. In The
Consciousness Instinct he deals with the history of efforts to understand what it means to be conscious and also
unconscious or not conscious. To understand how the meaning of being alive and also how the wave and quantum accounts of
light illuminate consciousness, you will have to read this volume. For all who care about psychology, the trip is worth
it." ―Michael Posner, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of Oregon
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About the Author
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Michael S. Gazzaniga is the director of the SAGE Center for the Study of the Mind at the University of
California, Santa Barbara. He is the president of the Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, the founding director of the
MacArthur Foundation’s Law and Neuroscience Project, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the
National Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Sciences. He is the author of many popular science books,
including Tales from Both Sides of the Brain. He lives in California.
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